Two female farmers from Pickens County have gained recognition by serving their respective commodities on prestigious national boards. U.S. Department of Agriculture officials recently announced the appointments. 

Tammy Doughty of Reform was appointed to serve a three-year term on the American Lamb Board (ALB) starting January 2015, and Aliceville farmer Annie Dee has been re-appointed to the United Soybean Board (USB).

Doughty, who has raised Dorper breed sheep for the Pennsylvania Dutch market on her farm for 12 years, will represent lamb feeders on ALB. She serves on the Alabama Farmers Federation State Meat Goat & Sheep Committee and is a member of the National Lamb Feeders Association and the American Sheep Industry’s Young Sheep Entrepreneurs Committee.

“I’m humbled, honored and excited,” said Doughty, who is the first ALB appointment from the Deep South. “I’ve got a lot to learn, but I’m hoping to bring a new and different prospective to the board.”

ALB serves to strengthen the position of lamb and lamb products in domestic and foreign markets. The USDA’s Agriculture Marketing Service oversees the board, which is composed of six producers, three feeders, one seed stock producer and three first handlers. The board allocates checkoff dollars for education, promotion and research.

“Tammy is extremely deserving of this prestigious appointment,” said Federation Meat Goat & Sheep Division Director Nate Jaeger. “She is a dedicated farmer and great spokesperson for lamb promotion. We wish her the best of luck in this new role.”

Dee will begin her second three-year term on USB Dec. 11 and will be sworn in with 18 other soybean farmers from across the U.S. during the organization’s annual meeting in St. Louis. She described her first term as eye-opening and rewarding.

“It has been great to learn how our checkoff dollars are invested,” Dee said. “There are so many terrific research projects, promotions and advertising campaigns going on that most people never know about.”

Annie and her brother, Mike Dee, share ownership of the 10,000-acre diversified farm in Pickens County with their 10 brothers and sisters. She was the 2013 Alabama Farmer of the Year. She also serves on the Federation’s State Soybean Committee and the Pickens County Farmers Federation Board of Directors.

The 70 farmer-directors of USB oversee the investments of the soy checkoff to maximize profit opportunities for all U.S. soybean farmers. The USDA Agricultural Marketing Service has oversight responsibilities for USB and the soy checkoff.

Federation Soybean Division Director Carla Hornady said Dee is an advocate for agriculture and thanked her for her service.

“Annie has been, and will continue to be, a great representative for the USB and the state,” Hornady said. “Not only her willingness to serve but the fact she was reappointed is a testament to her character.”